#like the fact that no one is talking about this either like helllooo

[hyperfixationsstation]

literally fire that man and get them a coach who will actually stick with them also a new gm fuck ass houston i dont even know how they where able to extend so many contracts with the way that club is a mess… they truly have some of the most dedicated loyal players in this league and they deserve way better then they get

[mistfallenjoyer]

helloł friemndo

i need answeros

otp ask game: What are some things they don’t agree on? & Which member is more verbally affectionate

and if u want.. the emoji one: 📎 🍼 🕷️

thamnks

HELLLOOO SIN!!! HI HI THANK YOU SO MUCH SO MUCH! 💓💕💞💖❤️‍🔥💗💕💓

I'm hiding this under a read more cause it got p long!! Also the emojissss are just gonna be Lucy stuff!!!

What are some things they don’t agree on? 

So I couldn't think of anything here, so INSTEAD I'm going to give you some past (like high school) Linda and Lucy stuff because it relates to this.

Lucy's past version of good v bad was very biased due to being raised by the Keepers of Aideen. She was like "well evil people are bad and gross and yucky and they and always be evil. And good people, us good people, can do nothing wrong ever! Avalon told me this."

Linda disagrees with this (meaning she knows there is a gray area and nobody is truly 100% good or bad.) And they had to work through that to get Lucy to where she is now. Basically: She's been healed.

She's also a nuisance now and decides that she can release animals from their pens because she's saving Jorvik.

(Linda doesn't like that, either.)

Which member is more verbally affectionate?

Linda!!! I think Linda’s PDA is verbal whereas Lucy’s is physical! I also think she uses Lucy’s pet names often! (Talking TO or ABOUT her, it doesn’t matter! She's gonna call Lucy her Starlight!!!)   

🕷️what is their biggest fear? Do they have any irrational / mundane fears?

The Unknown :)) And she's afraid of what is going to happen when this whole ordeal with Garnok goes down. She just doesn't want to lose the people she's closest too! :((( She misses Elizabeth.

I dooon't think there are any irrational fears?? BUT BUT

BUT I DO REMEMBER THAT DURING HER EARLY DEVELOPMENT SHE WAS TERRIFIED OF CHICKENS. But I think she’s over that now. Or maybe she isn’t? It would be pretty funny if god was afraid of the cluck cluck birds.

🍼what are their thoughts on children?

She’s actually very fond of them!

Children get along with her and she likes pretending to be surprised by the fun facts they tell her!!! Alsoooo I’m sure I’ve already mentioned this, but she does want children one day- and she and Linda do! It was an accident with her star circle magic. 

📎 a random fact.

Both Lucy and her mother have the same mole! 

Another one is that Lucy is ALWAYS cold. But that’s not why she wears long sleeves and sweaters, she does that to hide her scars!

[rainydayhogwartsimagines]

Fred with a Muggle!reader:

Warnings: swearing, sexual innuendos

He met you after the battle of Hogwarts.

He needed something from Charlie and Charlie wanted to meet in a muggle bar

"I can't get over the fact that you frequent a bar. With a muggle running it. And she knows you're a wizard." Fred admitted.

"I'm not the only one that frequents here, a lot of ministry members come here too." Charlie shrugged.

Fred had heard a lot about you, Charlie saying you often listened to people's problems, occasionally giving them free drinks if they've had a lousy day.

He'd never actually seen you. Charlie was always shit with descriptions

That's when a glass was put in front of Charlie and Fred looked over

Your hair was in a ponytail, a dishrag over your shoulder and a black cami that seemed to make your eyes pop.

"The usual?" You asked Charlie.

"Thanks dear." He nodded as you poured a glass.

"And you?" You asked Fred.

The second your eyes met his you felt something similar to a shockwave go down your spine.

"....Uh.... I'm... Not much of... A drinker.." Fred said making Charlie raise a brow.

"We have different sodas. If you want any of that." You said.

"... Root beer." He finally said making you nod.

From that point on, Fred showed up every Wednesday, it being the most empty so he could talk to you in peace.

"Hi Weasley." You said not even looking up from the book you were reading.

He sat at the bar.

"interesting story?" He asked.

You lifted the book so he could see it's title "Fantastic Beasts and where to find them"

He rose a brow. "How'd you get your hands on a wizard book?" He asked.

"It had a muggle release. I bought it after finding out it was real." You admitted.

Fred chuckled. "Curious about the wizarding world?" Fred asked.

"how can I not be? This world I live in... It's boring." You said.

"Surely it's not that bad." Fred said.

"Oh but it is. See I'm supposed to be a productive member of society. This isn't considered that apparently." You said.

"screw society." He shrugged.

"I think I'm beginning to really like you Weasley." You said with a smile.

He gave you a smile and your heart pounded.

Since then Fred basically visited you every day now.

He'd watch you work if you were too busy but on the empty days you'd sit at the bar with him.

Today was an empty day, much to Fred's luck.

"Hello there." You greeted.

"Helllooo" he said sitting down.

You sat next to him, a look of obvious exhaustion falling over your face the second you made contact with the chair.

"long day?" Fred asked.

"Long. Long. LONG. Day." You sighed.

"the ministry men just kept coming in. And that's not a problem. The problem is they all order the same damn drinks and I'm always on my feet" you groaned.

"prop your legs up on me, I really don't care." Fred suggested. You did, moving the chair closer.

"I have a question." Fred said.

"I have an answer." You replied.

"Do you own this bar?" He asked.

You nodded. "Used to be my brother's." You said.

"What happened?" Fred asked.

"...There's a reason why I'm allowed near magic." You said.

It registered with Fred what you meant.

"Your brother's a wizard?" He asked.

"He was." You said.

Fred frowned.

"He died in the battle for hogwarts." You said softly.

Fred realized your last name... Your brother saved his life.

"Sorry... Was Charles L/n your brother?" Fred asked.

You nodded.

"Your brother saved me." Fred said.

You blinked.

"You... You're the wizard he...."

You swallowed looking in Fred's eyes.

"Fred.... Thank you." You said.

"For what?" He asked.

"For not letting my brother's sacrifice be in vain. Charlie tells me how much you've helped people after the war... I'm glad you're living your life." You said sincerely.

He almost expected anger from you. But instead you were grateful.

He looked in your eyes and you looked in his.

Fred finally got the nerve to kiss you.

You looked forward to seeing him every day now, always smiling as he entered

He'd kiss you from across the bar making you smile as you worked.

One day you decided to close early though and Fred wanted you to actually see the wizarding world.

So he took you to the burrow to meet his parents for the weekend.

You were nervous the entire time but he kept reassuring you that Molly would fucking love you

Spoiler alert: she did.

Harry didn't seem to mind you either, you shaking his hand.

It felt nice for him to meet someone and not have them go "OH MY GOD YOU'RE THE BOY WHO LIVED!"

"So what do you do for a living?" Arthur asked.

"I uhm. I own a pub." You admitted.

"So that's where Fred has been running off to." George chuckled.

Percy walked in and you rose a brow.

"....Wait you're their brother!?" You said.

Percy gave you a "Don't you say a word" look but George blinked.

"How do you know Percy?" Fred asked.

"He comes to the pub every now and again." You admitted making him facepalm.

Fred and George gaped.

"Our brother. In a bar? Have you no shame Percy?" George said.

"Fred's girlfriend owns that bar, which he goes to everyday, and I'm the spectacle here?" Percy asked.

"Yeah because you have a constant stick shoved up your--"

"OKAY GINNY!" Percy cut her off making you laugh.

Fred wrapped his arm around you with a smile.

You ended up really enjoying your time there, answering questions Arthur had about muggle objects.

You went to bed early your first night there Molly sitting down with Fred

"We love her." Molly said.

"Really?" Fred asked.

"She's amazing Fred. Truly." Arthur agreed.

Fred felt relieved hearing this.

He showed you all sorts of things in the wizarding world

Your personal favorite was butterbeer.

When you had to return back to the muggle world you were kind of disappointed.

But you started making weekend trips to the Burrow a regular thing.

There was this one night you were really busy though.

This time the Weasley's came to you.

"What are you all doing here?" You asked.

"Y/n, I need an ale!" Someone yelled making you groan.

"Give me a table." Fred said. Him helping out wasn't uncommon.

"Five." You said, handing him a notepad

The family watched you two in action, both of you working around each other in impressive yet strategic ways.

"Can we help?" Ginny asked.

You whipped around and nodded.

"If you come across any empty glasses, clean them." You said. Molly and Arthur sat watching their children all assist you.

"Shit!" You grumbled as the jukebox glitched again.

"Repairio." Hermione said making it work.

"You are a godsend Granger. Truly." You said with a laugh as you sped past her.

Your balance skills with treys of alcohol was honestly impressive

Along with Fred and George's speedy order taking.

Before you knew it the bar was empty.

You finally turned off the open sign and hugged Fred.

"Thank. God." You whined.

He chuckled and Ron gaped.

"This is what you do? All day? No magic?" Ron asked.

You nodded.

"Goddess. Your girlfriend is a goddess." Ron said making you snort.

Fred kissed your head and you sighed pulling off the apron.

"Alright. Tell me we're going home, I am exhausted and looking forward to Molly's cooking." You said making Fred's brow raise.

"Did you just call... The burrow home?" George noticed.

"...I guess I did." You shrugged.

Fred already was forming wedding plans in his head.

George, Fred and you all rode separately from the rest of the group.

"Alright. Be real with me. How many times have you shagged on the bar?" George asked making you choke on air.

"Christ George!" Fred gaped.

"I'm just saying, it's right there!" George said.

"....Like three times, but that is besides the point!" You answered.

"I knew it!" George said.

"and how, pray tell did you know that?" Fred asked.

"One of your shirts were behind the bar." George said making both of you groan.

Fred didn't mind helping you out during the busy days.

A secret passage to the wizarding world being right next to it didn't hurt either.

Fred and you now had been seeing each other for about a year.

The Christmas season was a nice one, spending it with his family

Molly made you a sweater, which during the winter never came off.

Fred however was gearing up to ask you to marry him.

You already moved in with him after your six month anniversary.

Now he was fidgeting with a ring in his pocket as you worked.

"So this would go... Here." You muttered to yourself.

Fred just had to find the right time.

"Fuck, why is the scotch missing a cap?!" You groaned.

When it was just you and him.

The bell on the door rang, indicating the last customer left and Fred used a quick spell to shut off the open sign.

"thanks." You sighed as you found the missing Scotch cap.

"Hey. Why don't you take a break?" Fred suggested.

When was the right time to even ask you?

You nodded and sat next to him.

"What's in your pocket?" You asked noticing him keeping rather close to it.

Well. Now was the perfect time!

Fred swallowed and leaned forward taking your hands into his.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you too. Are you dying or something?" You asked concerned.

"what? No-- no." He shook his head.

"I love you so much and I want to make you happy for the rest of our lives." He said making you raise a brow.

"What--"

He pulled out the ring and your eyes went huge, looking at him and then the ring.

"Fred..." You breathed.

"Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He asked.

You looked at him almost the exact same way you did a year ago, the same shocked and vulnerable expression on your face as you held his hands.

"...Yes Fred!" You said before he slid the ring on your finger and kissed you.

He called his brothers-- all of them, telling them with no context to get their asses to the burrow.

They all did, now standing confused in the living room.

"Why are we here fred?" Bill asked, Fleur equally confused.

"I'm waiting on mum." Fred said as she finally walked down with Arthur.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked.

"I asked Y/n to marry me." Fred said.

"and I said yes." You said making everyone gasp.

Molly was a happy crying mess, hugging you saying she gained a new daughter.

Harry was happy that you weren't going anywhere along with Ron and Hermione.

Charlie was cracking a massive smile.

"This happened because of you Charlie." You said with a laugh.

"Finally! She gives me credit!" Charlie said making you laugh.

"welcome to the family Y/n." Arthur said with a smile.

A few months later you were married, the bar eventually making it's way into diagon Alley

You closed down the original location but made the second one equally comfortable.

Every night without fail, Fred would find his way to a seat at the bar and would watch you work.

Harry would occasionally visit with Ginny, you two being the first to know about their engagement.

"I've got the coolest in laws ever!" You'd say making Fred chuckle.

You would have days where the family would sit around after closing, telling you stories of hogwarts before the war as you sat in a chair with Fred, him holding you in his arms with a smile.

You wouldn't trade any of this for the world. Because this is where you belonged.

This was your home.

[lideria]

Lost in Yesterday. | Jeno (POV shift)

Request: helllooo!! i just read lost in yesterday and it so heart-wrenchingly beautiful that i must ask; is it possible for you to make the same fic but in jeno's point of view?

Author’s Note: I tried and I’m not mad at it! Keep in mind that I’ve done a write-the-same-fic-but-from-a-different-pov thing for the first time ever in my life, I’m suggesting you take this piece with a pinch of salt please and thank you! Plus, this was kind of hard to write? As in, I had a clear vision of Jeno’s character and feelings but when it came to expressing them it was really difficult. (and that’s on my alexithymia lads)

Important: If you want this piece to fully make sense, I’d highly suggest you read the reader’s pov and the backstory.

Warnings: Swear words, brief mentions of suggestive themes, mentions of war, mentions of heartbreak, mentions of family distress/unhealthy relationship, themes of manipulation, themes of confusion. English is my second language so there might be errors, please let me know if there is more that I should add!

Word Count: 4.003 again, like the first part, idk why but that’s so satisfying to me.

Genre: MUCH ANGST SUCH WOW, royal!au, rivalkingdoms!au, loverstoenemies!au

Hope you all enjoy it, loves! And anon, I hope this lives up to your expectations! Stay safe and healthy, and take care of yourselves for me 💚

Jeno gets done with writing his notes down with an exhausted breath through his nose.

The conference is stretching out and it is only the first day out of the three. There are demands from every monarchy aimed towards him and his rule. Every single letter that leaves his mouth is a step on the mighty thin ice that is the peace between the nations, one that must be protected at all costs, and he recognizes that. And he tries to meet everybody’s needs and wants. Figures that is the least he can do to ensure the continuity of this peace.

But in reality, he knows most people in the room would like to tear his monarchy apart in pieces if they were given the opportunity. That intimidates him even though he tries to hide the fact that it does.

As years go on after the war he expects the requests to get lighter. But they do not— if anything, they get heavier and even more challenging to provide. Even though he gets further into his life as the primary ruler and collects more experience.

And if there is anybody that gives him a particularly difficult time, it is you.

He has to watch you every year. He has to watch you stand up from your seat and take a deep, heavy breath as you link your hands and shut your eyes momentarily before proceeding with your speech. He has to see you do anything and everything to avoid looking at him as you speak up about what the monarchies and the governments must do to ensure the safety of peace the upcoming year, word out your opinion on the political problems that are the agendas for the session and your share of possible solutions that are up for a debate, and see the way you look forward frozen in place as you talk about the matters that regard his kingdom specifically. Even when you talk about the espionage, and the soldier you still could not hand over to his rule since his judicial process was yet undecided, you would not look at him. Never. Not a single time in years.

Yet, he cannot take his eyes off of you. Not for a single second, watching you as you act like the powerful and strong monarch he always knew you would come to be. It makes him proud.

The only thing— person— that pisses him off is the King. The man that took your hand in eternal marriage months, almost a year ago now, that was once your personal guard. The King that was once his friend, the only man outside royalty and his staff that he could share a laugh with, as well as a heart-to-heart conversation. Jeno does not hate him. But he hates the fact that Donghyuck gets to sit next to you and deliver speeches with you in this conference, and he hates that he can do it so well— matching your, a person who was born into the royal world, level of knowledge and confidence after such a short amount of training and education when Jeno had to pave the way for himself with his nails and teeth from day one. He hates that he gets to eat with you and see you from the moment you awake to the moment you go to sleep.

But when he finishes taking his notes and the conference goes into a break with the tired sighs leaving nearly everyone’s mouths, he can see you make your way to the doors opening to the balcony after a couple of words with your husband. Who, to his great surprise, does not accompany you because, to his great pleasure, a representative starts speaking to him.

Jeno knows this would be the right moment to talk to you. To tell you. Because you deserved to know.

So he follows you promptly, grooming his attire before making his way out.

The palace guards open the door for him, and he can already spot you, leaning on the parapet slightly. Your hair sways with the ocean breeze. He takes a second, not more nor less, to watch the way it does, because it is the most peaceful sight he has seen in a long time.

And then he walks over to you with his hands placed on his back. There is a growing tension as he does, he can feel it, but he feels fine. He is in control of every atom in his body. You, not so much. He can basically see the way you stiffen up when he stands beside you.

So he tries to ease you into the conversation. Jeno puts a smile on his face, partly because he finally gets to talk to you after all the years. “It’s a pretty day here,” The contentment is apparent through his words. He does his best at trying to sound welcoming but it still feels weird to be talking to you directly after all this time.

“It is.” Your voice sounds colder than the winter nights he spent traveling through the roads to get to you and your secret meetings. The signal gets across— you do not want anything to do with him. Hell, you sound more enthusiastic in the conference room doing politics.

Jeno knows you do not want to have anything to do with him. If it ever came to your defense, you had made that much sure when you spit the words take your men and never come back with all the disappointment and spite onto his face years ago, on that faithful night that ultimately caused all of this to happen according to the butterfly effect. But he does not give up on the opportunity to speak to you. Even if it will make you feel uncomfortable.

Because he knows how it feels when you do not get the news beforehand.

With a breath for starters, he turns his head to face your profile. You look so familiar, he smiles. “I need to tell you something, if you would hear me out.”

Either his words hold a weight to them heavier than he would ever like to make them out to be or you are so sick of him that you want him out, out of this area of peace or out of this world; out of your eyesight and out of your heart and mind because the way you breathe is almost concerning. That is, if he had not known you like the back of his hand still. You nod, and Jeno sees your eyes fixed on the harbor, where a carrier ship is being loaded. He can remember setting foot onto the pier during the war with his father.

It was the very place his father had smiled to him genuinely for the first time, and had landed his heavy hand on his shoulder, before telling Jeno how proud he was of him and his strength. He remembers having actual conversations during dinner for once, about what they would do with the land and how they would develop the towns and such without his father shutting him up even once. That very harbor was the first place Jeno’s father had listened to him and what he wanted. The first place he had acknowledged him as his son that needs to be heard rather than the Prince who needs to be educated and trained until he is perfect, and it was not even their home.

And then Jeno had given the city up as an area of peace once the war had ended shortly after his father’s passing. It seemed like the right thing to do although he knew his father would not have liked it.

Lost in the nostalgia of everything, the need to look into your eyes grows bigger. “Can you look at me as you hear me out then?”

Although he is very impatient, he relaxes the words as he speaks them out. He wants you to know that he respects your choice, even though love is not prominent in whatever it is the two of you have. And if your choice happens to be pretending like he is not there as you let him speak to you, that is fine too.

But you turn your face to look at him. Like the good monarch you are. Ready to face the past and the present and, as being a monarch demanded, the future.

But he sees something falter immediately. Truthfully, he sees many things falter immediately. He sees doubt and longing and nostalgia that is much like the one he had been experiencing just now. The look in your eyes are like ancient ruins to him: it looks so familiar, he knows what it means, yet it is impossible to make it into what it once was. Jeno chuckles even though he tries to help himself not to, because he sees it.

There is some sort of care in you for him still. Even after everything.

He almost feels this giant lightness, something so big it can swallow him whole, wash over him, but he brings himself back to the world so quickly that it is like the feeling never even existed. If anything, this made things harder to tell.

It is a pity that he cannot bring himself to care all that much, but he internally justifies it by telling himself you had not showed him half the mercy he has been showing you, months ago. “I’m to be wedded this winter.”

Shock covers your eyes. The kind that tells him you are clearly dumbfounded. But that only lasts for a few seconds before he sees it shift into hurt, and your breath hitches as the look in your eyes shifts. “Oh.”

The shaky response pulls a string on his heart only you can pull and it is hard to not give into it; maybe, just maybe, he would have given into it, had you not turned your face away from him back to the harbor before he could. It gets him feeling somewhat angry, though. He was being considerate of you, and he was being considerate of what you two had in the past, and he was being considerate of your right to know. All three of which you had not been considerate of when it was him that should have listened to you, and now you would not even face him after facing him. After showing him you can do it. He cannot understand that. “With all due respect, your Majesty, haven’t you been married for months now? I cannot understand your response,” He calls you out with every bit of frustration in him, laughing lightly in the hypocrisy you seem to be showing. “Especially when I’ve taken the time to tell you about it.”

“Everything was over with, I wasn’t obliged to tell you.” Your attacking defense comes just as he finishes what he is saying, but he can tell that even you do not believe yourself all that much. There must have been a mutual respect. Jeno would like to believe that you too had loved him magically and wonderfully like he feels he had loved you, and if you did, then there should not have been an excuse for him to not know until it happened.

With his own fair share of hurt now, he turns to look back at the town he once ruled, with his once-lover. But he does not dare drop his hands, or his shoulders, or his smile— like his father had taught him. If you stand straight enough, you will be strong. If you keep your head high enough, you will be stronger. And if you smile long and hard enough, nothing and no one will be able to break you, my son.

As he looks down he wonders if the shoemaker remembers him, because he is wearing his shoes today. Actually, he is wearing the pair that used to be his father’s. He had never used them or cherished them the way his son did, whereas Jeno had made sure he wore them until they lost any shape they held.

“Who are they?” His ear perks a bit at your question, and he looks at you from the side of his eyes, smile widening ever so slightly. “A princess,” He figures you would like the answer instantly. “From one of the state kingdoms. You must’ve seen her at least once, but I hardly think you know her name.” Maybe you did, but he would not bother telling you. You would be learning about her soon enough.

“Do you love her?”

Everything stops. You stop breathing, his heart momentarily stops beating, the world seems to halt.

Do I love her the way I loved you? No. Never. That is really hard to do, and for that matter, I do not think I will ever be able to love someone like I loved you. I may have kissed her, but never have I once ever got the same sparkling feeling on my lips or the warm feeling in my chest like I did with you. I may have hugged her, but not once did I feel like she would be able to catch me the way you did if I fell. I may have sobbed in front of her, but I never gave her the key for the lock on my mouth and just let her hug me into her chest as I kept everything inside— sometimes you inside. I may have danced with her, but only because she makes it easy to dance with the way she moves around. I may have let her sob in front of me and listened to her struggles, but no matter how hard I tried, I could not listen to her struggles as deeply as I had done with yours. I may have shared my body with her, and accepted hers, but only because she is in love with me and has told me herself that she is ready to accept me the way I am; once too in love to ever be in love again. But I care about her enough to take her hand in marriage and have children with her, because she might be the only one to love me ever again, and I respect her for it. “I presume we can say that. She’s the bearer of my child— the heir to my throne, after all. That must mean something.”

Jeno only looks at you again because of the deep, aching breath you take and the intense inhaling sound it makes. Your face is once again turned away from him, not even looking at the harbor anymore, just anywhere but him. Your body shivers only for a short amount of time, maybe a few seconds, before it stops and when it does, he can see your eyes from the side.

He knows that look. He would know that look anywhere at anytime, even if he forgot his own name. It is the same look you had given him when you looked at him for the last time. Hurt, broken, betrayed and so, so disappointed. And this time you would not look at him. “We could have been amazing.”

The way you say it, and the way your head tilts slightly in disappointment before going back to how it was, makes Jeno feel like a monster.

Because he feels the same way. You really could have been amazing.

He could have been the one to properly ask you to marry him, because with Donghyuck he was sure you had asked first, even though he once asked you in private, and you had asked him also. He could have been the one to hold your hands at the altar and to tell you he would love you day and night and in sickness and health and would have meant it. He could have kissed you in front of the thousands of guests, he could have been the one prompting the thunderous applause that followed, the one that he had learned from one of his close friends that cared enough to call him to tell him about it— your wedding. He could have cried after seeing you in your beautiful attire.

Jeno could have taken the oath with you. He could have taken a knee before you with the cape around his shoulders and the crown on his head. He could have hosted many royal balls with you, to dance with you again and again until you hated dancing. He could have gotten lost with you in palace gardens to reminisce the old days. He could have imagined the idea of having heirs with you, and he could have grown old with you.

He could have made you happy. He could have taken you to the forests he knew you loved more than anything, he could have played snow fights with you in the never-ending snow, he could have gotten lost in the library countless times with you as you read novels. He could have played guitar to you, and serenaded you with moonlight hitting your cheeks. He could have dragged you to the palace kitchen and the two of you could have made your own meals with all your staff, making them laugh with the way you act— dancing, singing, laughing, smiling, kissing, putting sugar instead of salt, stupidly in love— and at the end you could have had grand meals with your staff and their families. Could have established a festival celebrating your love and the unity of the two of the biggest reigns.

But that is the point. These are things that could have happened. Amazing is something the two of you could have been, not what you were supposed to be. He had his duties, and he had his family, and he had his people that he had to protect. The same went for you. And during the war, your stances were different from one another.

So it was maybe for the best that what once was ended when it did. Maybe, if what could have been  actually came to be, it would have gone worse, like his father had suggested him. Maybe the two of you would have used one another, like his father had suggested him. Maybe you would betray him, like his father had suggested him— and you did, because you acted like he never existed. Did not tell him anything, did not look at him, threw your experiences out the window just like that.

Maybe, just maybe, his father was right.

Yet, if he was, why did Jeno feel like the world was against him and he was all alone? Truly, and utterly alone, save for the soon-to-be queen?

He watches a tear run down your cheek, and sees you biting at your lip, and he thinks why? Why are you so upset by this? Are you really all disappointed? Did you have the right to be?

Jeno keeps on smiling. If he smiles long and hard enough, nothing will be able to break him.

The balcony doors open, and he knows who it is that is coming. This scenario has happened many times already, before he was the King but a guard, and usually he would tell you either that he had spotted royal photographers nearby and that you have to move, or that things were starting to get suspicious, anything of that sort. But now he did not know what Donghyuck might say or do, which is unsettling to him.

Without even making his presence known first, Donghyuck places a hand at your waist, and Jeno notices how you do not get surprised. “Dear,” He does not see even a bit of the discomfort on your face that you had on your face when he first approached you. Jeno is incredibly envious of that, and he must be glaring at your husband, because he turns to look at him in such a way. He can feel Donghyuck accusing him of screwing everything up yet again, and he can hear him asking what is wrong with him, what part of ‘never’ do you not understand?

Donghyuck looks at him only for a flash, but Jeno understands what he has to say.

He sees you lean against him slightly. “Shall we go inside? We can go get you something.” No, do not go yet, not now. I want to make things right with you.

If he only knew that he would never be able to do it.

You actually nod at Donghyuck without much consideration, which is almost bad enough in itself, but then you hold his hand, which seems to just emphasize everything Jeno did not like— and everything that once made him feel bad. And it infuriates him to see.

But it should not. Because he does not love you anymore. You cannot break him if he does not love you anymore.

He watches as you leave, wanting to be relieved, yet not quite able to feel that way. And he hates to admit it but there is hope in him, flickering in his chest much like a candle light in the wind, when you turn back around to him with Donghyuck.

“Send an invitation for us, too,” You say to him. Gentle and kind, and strong, despite your disappointment and hurt. Slightly, he sees you raise your chin a little to keep your composure as well, and he thinks of his father’s words. How true they are. “Our monarchs must be better than abandoning each other on their best days. Let us host you in our palace once honeymoon is over, which I hope is enough to make up for my mistake.”

It is not, he thinks. It is not enough. How do you expect me to come to your palace, where so many of our memories of love— kissing, hugging, listening to each other, seeing each other, looking deep into each other’s eyes, whispering sweet nothings and sometimes all that we know will keep the other one going, hiding from the photographers and the guards and your family and anyone who can catch us, adoring each other, cherishing each other, making love to each other, dreaming of the future will haunt the two of us, and be there with my wife that knows I will not love her fully like I did with you, and your husband that you have a deep enough relationship with that you give in to his support? How do you expect me to sit at the same table with you, knowing you told me to never come back and yet you invited me back? Knowing you would not even look into my eyes after all this time no matter how much you try? How do you expect me to look at you and see you when you will not do the same for me and expect it to be enough in return for your erasure of me and our memories?

He sees you smile, and once again you are eye to eye with him. “And if you do not, then I wish all the happiness to you and the queen, your Highness.”

You blow the flickering light in his chest.

Not your Majesty, no. You do not call him that, the title for the Kings and the Queens, and any primary rulers, but instead you call him your Highness. The title for the heirs. The name you would be calling him years ago, before he did any of what he did, before the two of you became what you have become.

You remind Jeno, with a sure and firm voice, that you do not, and you will not recognize the person he is today.

And when you turn your back and proceed with your way inside amongside Donghyuck, he cannot help himself as his shoulders drop— ruining his perfect posture for the first time since whoever knows how long.

Suddenly, Jeno cannot find it in himself to smile anymore.

[jinxthequeergirl]

The New Hero on The Block (pt.2/?)

Peter Parker x reader (Mentor! Strange x student! Reader)

Summary:after looking through the book And learning more you head to The source for more information

Warning: death of a side character.

pt.1 / pt. 2

~~~~~

"Helllooo!?" you pownded on the front door of the building from where the book came.

You spent two weeks reading the book front to back twice and even more time attempting to do what it said. All you got was a few sparks sometimes a quick glance into the kitchen. And you had to know more about it.

You where a curious person and always had to learn more. Books where the only thing you had growing up. You got a lot of them from your dad he would stay up and read to you and take you to book stores. Before he got to busy.

You held the book close to your chest as you continued to knock on the door. "Is anyone home!? I came to talk about a book I stole a few weeks ago!!"

Before your knucles could meet the wood of the door again it swung open and you punched the man who stood in the door way.

"Yes!?" He snapped looking extreamily irritated. He was tall, neat hair with a single white stripe on each side of his head and a neatly trimed beard.

"I...i uh wanted to ask you about this book!" you unzipped your coat and pulled the book free showing it to him.

"How did you get this!? He looked at you in awe and grabbed the book walking inside disregarding your exsistance.

"I..." you cleared your throat stepping inside after him and shut the door. "I stole...stole it a few weeks back. Along with this ring!...witch to be honest I thought was a pair of brass knuckles but after reading the book-"

He turned to you half way up the stairs.

"You stole this book and a sling ring! And on top of that you read it!? How did you even manage to get in here!?"

You pointed to the window on the top floor you came through that night. "The window..." He looked at the book while offering an open hand. "The ring please."

"Actually...I was hopeing you could could teach me what's in that book! I mean I've almost got that sling ring thing down or whatever-"

"Why because you think it's some cool trick you want to impress all your friends with some magic!?" you scoffed and followed him up the stairs. "Well what do you use it for!?"

"I use it to protect people like you! From threats you can't see!"

"So what your like a superhero!?" judging by his strange blue kimono like outfit it was either that or he couldn't afford anything else. "Something of the sort."

You looked inside one of the glass containers. One you swore had something in it a week ago. "Cool!" He looked at you over his shoulder as he placed the book on the shelf. "So maybe you could teach me how to be a superhero too!"

"How old are you!?"

"Old enough!"

"Listen I'm not going to teach some child everything I know because they think being a 'super hero' is cool! Know give me the ring and leave!" You squinted your eyes and him and pursed your lip.you never believed in superheros if they exsisted why not hadle the people after your mom? Why not save her? If they exsisted and really where the good guys where where they when someone was really in danger. You slid the ring on your finger in your pocket and smirked. "Listen I may be young and may not have all the facts or a proper motive-"

"Your a criminal! Now the ring! Please!"

You smirked pulling your hand from your pocket and thought long and hard about being at home while making a side circle with your hand. "What do you think your doing!?"

You grinned when a large hole appered showing the street outside your apartments. "Leaving like you asked! And your right I'm not a hero stupid of me to think that!"

"Wait no-" you jumped through the portal and landed on the ground rolling. The portal shut behind you. "Son of a-" you hissed as you pushed yourself up realizing you landed on your writst.

"(y/n)!?" you looked up and sat your dad making his way to you. "Dad?" he was a meidium hight man with a very thin body and round glasses that framed his face making him look like a cartoon character. "What are you doing here you are never home this earily."

"Yes well..." his scentence trailed off into an awful cough. "My boss was consented for my health." you smiled and walked with him inside. "Why dont we have a good family dinner? Catch me up on what's happening!"

"Ok! We can order out or-" he stopped in the hall looking at your apartment door and stepped in front of you blocking your veiw. "Why dont you run to the market...here pick out a dinner we can cook together!" He handed you money and sent you back down the hall. "Uh ok.." she hurried down to the market in search of dinner.

~

You sat in front of the store before going in pulling some goze from your bag. You wrapped up your wrist and hand and headed inside.

You took no less than ten moments to pick out a few good things to make before heading back. Being stopped by a fire truck heading in the same direction. You looked up following the truck to see fire of course rising from your building.

"Dad!" you raced after the truck pushing past the the crowed of people. "Dad!?" you looked around holding he had gotten out in time but saw no sight of him. "God damn it!" you grabbing your mask and ran to the front door of the building. "Hey! Hey miss!" you shoved the fireman out of the way and dove into the building.

"Dad!?" the building was at the same time brightly light by the orange flames but deeply dark do to the thick smoke that took over the air. You coughed as you pulled your mask on a long with your hood pulling the stings so it was tightly on and ran up the stairs. "Dad! Where are you!?"

"Help! Help me!" you perked up and turned to a door that no longer sat properly on it's hinges and slid across it. "Hello?"

"Over here!" you turned to a girl few years younger than you and her little brother huddled under a dinning table barrely standing. You ran over to them and flipped it off the top of them.

"C'mon!" you grabbed the little boy and the girls hand. And ran over to the window.

"Ok wait right here hold your brother! And cover yourselves!" she took him and ducked away from you. You kicked the window shattering it and pulled your grappling hook from your bag. And sat it in the window.

And dumped out the rest of the contents of your bag. "Here!" one of the rooms finally collapsed from beside you and the two scrame. "Hey get it's ok!" her brother was small enough to fit in your bag considering it was a large bag. You put him in it making sure he was succure. Another part collapesed and you jumped. "Here take your brother and climbe down the rope!"

"What!?"

"Go!" she slowly but surely grabbed hold of the rope and climbed out the window looking at you worried. "I promise you I'll stay right here and hold it in place."

She nodded and slowly let herself fall down the rope. "Look!" someone from the crowd yelled and pointed up at the three of you. She wiggled down it slowly slipping slightly here and there. You realized the fiermen had pulled out something for them to land on and the amount of rope was wearing thin. "Jump!"

"No!" you groaned and looked back down at her. "You need to drop your brother then jump!" she furrowed her brows. "Now!" something crashed from within the building. You watched as she shrugged your bag off her shoulders sending her brother down screaming.he landed with a soft poof. The rope was slowly wearing down.

"Jump now!" she shook her head. You pulled your sleeve over your hand and grabbed a shard of glass and slashed the rope. "I'm sorry!"

"No!" she too landed safely down below and you ran out of that apartment and into the hall dashing straight to your apartment kicking the door open with easie. "Dad!? Daddy are you in here!?"

She looked around stepping on something. You stooped down to pick it up and placed it in your coat pocket. There was sudden movement from within the house. "Dad?" the person ran fast across your vision you grabbed a part of a chair and flung it at him stunting him momentarily. "Who-" the roof collapes on the right side of your apartment you jumped back. "Who are you!?"you took note of there clean suite and has mask, they said nothing and ran at you with a knife. "Shi-" He tackeled you knocking you good and mask off. As if it knew the smoke emidently filled your lungs causing you to wheeze as you attempted to push the man off. the window shattered and the man was was sent flying into the flames across the room.

"Are you ok?" you looked up to see none other than New York's very own spiderman. "Uh yea its just my dad I can't-" the door way collapesed. "You shouldn't be in here we need to go!"

"Not with out my-" he grabbed you and ran to the window throwing you out and jumping out after you before catching you in his web And pulling you up into his arms. You looked over his shoulder and watched the top of the building burst and collapse completely. The two of you landed on the ground near an ambulance and you continued to state into the buildings flames as a paramedic lead you away from spider-man. "Take care of her doc.." you sat staring blankly. You didnt save him...you didn't find him at all. Instead you wasted time helping some kids you didn't know.

"Excuse me miss?" you looked up slowly and found the girl and little boy standing in front of you. The girl smiled and said nothing but wrapped you up in a tight hug. "Thank you!" it took you a moment to realize what was happening and slowly hugged her back sighing lightly into her hair. "Any time kid..."

"How are you holding up?" you looked up at spiderman as the siblings left. He sat next to you in the back of the ambulance. "Hey what you did was...was increadible...even if you couldn't save-"

You tuned him out realising something. Those kids where alive because you choice to save them instead of looking for your father first. "Hey yea...I get it you cant save everyone..." you looked up at the kids as there mother enguolfed them in a hug sobbing.

"Even of you really want to...things don't work out that way."

~~~~

Tagging:

@cutie1365

@roryshitposts

[sapphicscholar]

A/N: For @performativezippers - hope you're starting to feel better, friend!

HELLLOOO! I'm back from the world of PhD applications--a little sleep deprived and so much poorer than I was a week ago, but back! And overjoyed to be done with that process! I'll be taking some time to get out a nice long update for Undercover(s) and to work on my Secret Santa prompts, but then I'll be getting back to pull a few from the queue that have been waiting. But I've also got 2 AUs in the works, one of which has been plotted and planned obsessively for about 9 months now, so they'll be taking more of my time and attention for a while because damn I do love a good long-form AU...

Hilariously, this story is plucked from my real life. Except I didn't meet Alex Danvers; I met a very flustered, awkward, burly security guard. And Zipps mentioned my life might make for a pretty cute Sanvers story. So voila. Please enjoy.

Fun fact #2: Every title mentioned was plucked from the bibliography of my paper, so they all exist, and you too can find them in your local university library and have a go at finding love or just the awkwardness I did XD

Chapter Text:

“Excuse me!” Alex yelled at the student shuffling through the entrance without stopping by the guard desk.

“Hmm?”

They always looked so innocent, the impossibly frustrating “who me?” look, as she thought of it. As though finals week was the first time they’d ever been to the library. As though they didn’t know that ID was required to get inside. As though they didn’t notice the line of people waiting to flash their student cards to her before going in. “I need to see your ID.”

“Oh, I just need to return something,” the student replied, waving in the general direction of his bag like it held some magical proof that made him exempt from following the same rules as every other person in line.

“And I just need to see your ID,” Alex nearly growled, her tolerance for bullshit having all but disappeared over the past few days. She’d taken the guard job as a way to make a bit of extra cash, since her graduate stipend was livable, but didn’t quite cover some of the luxuries she’d come to enjoy: a nice bottle of whiskey, say, or a new leather jacket. And for the most part, it wasn’t a bad job. It forced her to go to the library most days, and early morning shifts left her with long stretches of quiet time to do her work. But when finals hit…suddenly the library was the hot place to be, and she was left feeling like Charon and Cerberus and Hades all at once as she ushered in awake, if anxious, students, only to watch them stumble out hours and sometimes days later looking like haggard shells of their former selves, their eyes dull and souls deadened.

With a show of huffing and grumbling and rummaging in his bag, which appeared to be full of crumpled papers and snacks that Alex just knew would end up leaving sticky residue all over whichever desk he used, the student finally produced his card, flashing it in Alex’s direction until she waved him away, satisfied that he was a student. The next students in line at least had the decency to have their cards out and ready, and a few even thought to say hello and thank her or wish her a good day.

Eventually the rush dwindled to a slow trickle of students, most of them having settled in for the evening. Alex listened as the antiquated intercom system crackled to life and one of the on-duty librarians announced: “This is a last call for check out. You have ten more minutes to bring any books to the check out desk. As a reminder, the front desk will be closing at 9pm sharp. Thank you!”

Over the next few minutes a few students came rushing out of the elevators and stairwell, piles of books clutched to their chests as they got in the line that had begun to curl around the front desk. She chuckled at the sight of one girl nearly too short to see over the stack of books in her arms staggering out of the elevator and toward the check-out desk. Alex most definitely did not find her gaze lingering on her ass—no, that would definitely be unprofessional, even if it was obviously an ass worth noticing.

As the librarians got everyone through the line, Alex wished the ones who decided to pull all-nighters back in the comfort of their dorm rooms and apartments a good night, pulling out her own work again when it seemed like she might get a few minutes of peace. Of course, moments later, the girl with the great ass appeared in front of her, the stack of books now crammed into an overstuffed backpack.

“Have a good night,” the girl called out, giving Alex a small two-finger salute that made her stomach flutter—not that she’d admit to a thing as childish and Kara-esque as butterflies.

“You too. Don’t study too hard.” Alex cringed internally; she never made small talks, and she certainly wasn’t the type to make dad jokes. Yet here she was. Doing both.

The shrill beep of the alarm going off when the girl walked past the sensors saved them both from having to either laugh off the lame attempt at a joke or come up with an adequate response.

“I swear, I went through, and they got all the books!”

“I believe you. Still need to go through them one-by-one, though,” Alex offered with a shrug. Some of the scanners were a bit old at this point, which meant she’d gotten used to the process of scanning the titles and the receipts, making sure they were all listed before she sent the students on their way.

“Oh, um, you know it’s cool, I can just work here.”

Alex cocked her head to the side; the woman looked oddly on edge, the easy way she had carried herself before replaced with a stiffness to her movements. “It’s fine, really. I’m not saying you stole anything! I just need to go through and check your receipt.”

“Yeah, but I’ve, uh, I’ve got so many books—wouldn’t want to bother you. You’ve clearly got homework too.” She gestured to Alex’s notebook, which was littered with complicated graphs and notes in a scrawl that Kara had deemed indecipherable.

“Seriously, it’s fine,” Alex insisted.

With a grimace of a smile, the student plopped her bag down on the edge of the desk and began unloading the large stack of books. Once they were in a neat pile, she handed over the receipt and turned her attention to the floor tiles in front of her. She wondered if they might do her the favor of opening up into a surprise sinkhole that would save her from this moment.

Alex spun the books so that the spines were facing her and began skimming the first title, pen in hand, ready to begin checking the books off the receipt. The Feminist Porn Book: The Politics of Producing Pleasure. Oh. Hoping her cheeks weren’t already the same flaming red color as the book cover, Alex checked it off the receipt and moved it into a new pile, looking for the second title. Coming to Power: Writings and Graphics on Lesbian S/M. She heard the student clear her throat and caught sight of her fidgeting with the zipper of her leather jacket. Lesbian Erotics was up next, followed by Beyond Explicit: Pornography and the Displacement of Sex.

“It’s for a research paper,” the girl finally said.

“That’s what the kids are calling it these days?” Alex couldn’t help herself. It was joke about it or ignore the elephant in the room—or, even worse, accidentally risk letting slip some hint of the images that had filled her mind about all the ways they could perhaps practice lesbian eroticism and BDSM together some night, maybe in the stacks, not that it was a thought that had ever flitted through her mind during exceptionally long, lonely night shifts. No, never.

The student relaxed at that, arching an eyebrow playfully as one side of her mouth curled up into a wicked smile, bringing out dimples that had Alex biting at her lower lip. “Mm, I prefer to be direct. Otherwise you end up with girls who didn’t realize the flannel and the flirting and the winking meant that what I called a coffee date really was a genuine date.”

“Not just two gals being pals?”

“Exactly. I’m Maggie, by the way. Maggie Sawyer.”

Alex nodded, like she hadn’t already looked at her name on the receipt. “Alex Danvers. Resident library security guard.”

“That title come with cuffs and everything?”

“Tragically no. Just a panic button that I don’t think even works.”

“Very fancy. They really went all out, huh?”

“Only the best for us guards.”

Maggie smiled and let Alex get back to work, finishing up with her stack of books. After a few moments, though, the silence got to her. Gesturing at the large textbook, Maggie asked, “Bio major?”

“Uh, bio-engineering, actually. Grad student.”

“Impressive. Sorry, didn’t mean to mistake you for an undergrad there,” she laughed.

“Oh, you’re fine,” Alex brushed off the apology. “I mean, by my age, I guess I really should still be an undergrad.”

“One of those child prodigies, then?” Maggie teased, though, given the look of the notes in front of Alex, she wasn’t exactly joking either.

Alex shook her head. “More like summer classes and a desperate need to live up to my mother’s impossibly high expectations.”

“Sounds fun.”

“Very. What about you? Undergrad?”

“Senior,” Maggie answered. “Had space for a few electives, so…” she trailed off, gesturing at the stack of books in between them. “Thought it would be fun to take a sexuality studies course.”

“Is it?”

“It was.”

“Oh no, what happened?”

“Oh just a little thing…you know, having to hand over a whole stack of books on porn and lesbian sex to a pretty girl…just a tad bit embarrassing.”

“I’m sure she’d tell you it wasn’t embarrassing.” Maggie looked unconvinced. “Or that it was just as embarrassing for her as it was for you.”

“Could I maybe make it up to her?”

Feeling a rush of boldness that could have come from the days of built up sleep deprivation, or the rather X-rated image flashing up at her from the next cover in her stack, or the sight of a very gorgeous woman flirting with her, Alex smirked up at Maggie. “Gonna impart all the lessons you learned from this—what’d you call it again? Research?” Alex teased, finding herself beyond pleased at the throaty laugh that spilled from Maggie’s lips and drew the ire of a student just trudging in from the night, ID card clutched in fingers turned red from the cold.

“I was thinking coffee, but I’m not opposed to, as the kids call it, Netflix and chill-ing.”

“Why don’t we start with coffee and see if you can’t entice me with all the thrilling facts you learned…”

“Challenge accepted, Danvers.”

[tofusoups]

omg ur so valid i'm the same i've only actually consistently listened to svt ever since i started listening to kpop LOL. my first mv was mansae too,, just a year later lmaooo. also like u i saw my boy (jeonghan) fell in love n he's still my bias to this day but now i am also dino biased too 🤩 the fact that u got into him from his mushroom hair is so funny omg oh another svt q! what’s ur fave song/era of theirs :0 mm also what other artists do u like! oh n also thoughts on their cb? (1/3)

also yeah i think when i did the age range thing last time i kept it as any age n my anon n the person i anoned for were nice i liked them a lot but like.. it's not the same as doing it w someone the age u know? also the amt of parallels we have is so funny my carat anon last time didn’t reveal themselves either LOL i promise i will reveal myself though i got u 😌 ur art is amazing omg i was honestly shocked urs was literally identical to the ref i would not b able to tell them apart (2/3)

i’m so excited for u i will be cheering u on if u do get around to drawing this summer 🤩 omg pls i will b so excited if u draw me Anything i will treasure it forever 😭 also pls don’t worry abt talking too much i have the same problem i wrote like. a whole essay back to my anon’s one ask n it was literally just one question ;;;; (also a little obvious since i have 2 literally split this up into 3 pts omfg…) (3/3) - carat anon (should b fine i think? or maybe 🍊 bc i love oranges LOL)

this is gonna be long BHSJBJF hope u enjoy my 🍊 🥺

OK the fact we have sm in common <3 helllooo im so excited to talk to u more seriously!!! T_T thats so funny tho lmfaoo yeah like i listen to other groups sometimes but ive never gotten into them as much as 17 like... ive been phasing out of being a “kpop stan” (that sounds so funny) for a bit, like im definitely not as big of a fan as i was at like... 15 LMAO i was cray zee.... anyways my POINT is that even tho im not into kpop as much anymore 17 will literally always be there for me like ill see a photo of a member and b like.. “oh.... right i love these boys so much 🥺 AND their songs bang...” and relisten to like ... boys be or going seventeen.

JEONGHANNN !!! jeonghan in mansae was a cultural reset like him n mingyus hair i loved the most in mansae.... i really miss his long hair tbh im always annoyed thinking about how he never has longer hair bc of all the fans being weird and making him out to be a mom (or just making him more feminine bc he had the hair) like stop <3 thanks! whats ur fave looks of his? like eras or styles that rlly stuck w u :O also dino? a king a legend in every way he really is the future of kpop as carats are saying lately... 

hmm my fave eras of 17.. i feel like i tend to like the older eras bc i got into them at that time.. n i think their songs were better tbh 😌 Boys be has a big place in my heart bc it was my first kpop album n i got it for my birthday, i remember listening to mansae on my ride to school every day like it really was such a big part of my life its crazy kinda reflecting on it rn u know...🥺 i also really love pretty u + aju nice  bc that was the era i Witnessed? like i watched the live performance of pretty u with my friend n we were both crying akjdkajdks. other than that i loved going seventeen era AND oh my ... i kinda fell out of 17 after clap/teen, age bc i just wasnt interested in much of the music anymore.... but then oh my/YMMD happened and rocked my world <3 

i literally listed like 4 eras omfg. i cannot choose one im sorry KJDKSFKSFHA 😭

hmm other artists as in like kpop or in general? for kpop idk i listen to loona sometimes... NCT day6.. a lot more kindie like hyukoh and adoy! in general i listen mainly indie/alt and R&B, if u want i can show u some of my recent playlists ^__^ id love to see some music ur into as well (kpop or nonkpop :] ) 

i havent really listened to their CB LMAOOO im a fake carat... i mean i know left and right bc of all the vids baha and i just watched it randomly the morning it released but other than that idk much!! i do like the look of this one it kinda reminds me their An Ode era? what did u think of the CB? do u have any songs u rec from the album??

n OMG stop why am i excited for u to reveal urself hehe!! ok ik i was sad i didnt get to see my anon reveal themselves but i also didnt reveal myself to the person i was sending anons to KSJKFSF i kinda forgot to send asks. and they were also a kpop fic blog and not to b rude but i wasnt into that... sdkjjfk 

and thank u so much that means a lot T_T i do enjoy drawing w refs bc i feel like i can focus on the colors and understand anatomy and light a bit more... but i wanna try doing freehand to strengthen my style too ToT

N LMFAOOO no its totally fine i enjoy the multiple asks but im realizing how long this reply is im SO sorry ... this is longer than some of the essays i wrote in school <3 fjskajfdksfhk

[fuck-customers]

THE CUSTOMER. COMES. FIRST.

I work at a grocery store and was scheduled to attend self scan when I got this older middle aged maggot of a woman who lives in a perpetual state of wanting to feel wronged and offended. You know the type.

I was standing at my podium when a coworker walking by said something to me. I turned my head to reply and in the 5 seconds that took, this woman got all outraged that I didn't immediately notice she needed help. At least I assume that's what happened, because she did this super exaggerated wave coupled with a sarcastic "HelloooOOooOoo!!!!!" to get my attention. It was so over the top, you'd think she'd been having trouble getting my attention for 5 minutes. Also if you need help there's a button you can press that summons me over and it's harder for me to miss than you silently glaring at me or w/e it was she was originally doing to try to get my attention.

I went over and she was immediately like "How are you?" in this incredibly passive aggressive and almost accusatory tone. It was weird. I think she was angry at me for talking to my coworker for what was literally like 5 seconds? I could tell she wanted me to respond rudely so she'd have an excuse to flip out. I didn't take the bait and responded "I'm good! How are you?" Disappointed, she didn't bother to respond before jumping into the issue she was having. Basically, she just needed to scan a coupon, drop it in the slot, and then press the continue button. idk why she couldn't figure out how to do this herself, especially seeing as the machine was issuing directions, but I guess that's what I'm there for as far as she's concerned.

Problem solved, I went back to my podium. Then I had a different customer who needed help with something. As I was helping him one of the scan it gun alarms went off. At my store we have these scan it guns customers can use to scan their groceries as they shop, bagging as they go and then using the gun to pull their order up at a register or self scan machine. Customers get the guns from one of two charging racks on either end of the store but naturally they can't be bothered to actually return them to the rack despite the fact that they're located next to the doors that they exit through, BUT WHATEVER. So basically, self scan is located next to a charging rack and all the charging stations on that one are kept full by me but I can't run to the other end of the store every time a customer leaves one of the guns behind, so as I collect them off the machines I just put them in a hand basket. When someone comes round to do baskets they grab the basket of guns and put them in the other charging rack.

The guns are designed to go into an alarm mode if they're carried past the doors to prevent theft or being forgotten in carts. The only way to get the alarm to stop is to place the gun in a charging station. The alarm is LOUD and incredibly annoying by design. Whenever one goes off customers whip their heads around because they think someone's stealing or something. So needless to say, when a gun goes off dealing with it becomes a bit of a priority. It's disruptive, headache inducing, etc. For some unknown reason, a gun can randomly go off even if it's nowhere near the door. It happens maybe once a week.

That's what happened on this occasion. The customer I was currently helping was like "WOAH what IS that?" because it's so loud and annoying. I explained as I finished fixing his issue and then went to grab the gun to place it in the charging rack. The rack was full but fortunately there was a customer there about to get one and a spot would be freed up. So I was standing behind that gentleman, waiting on him, when I heard the woman from before trying to get my attention, her tone none improved. It was the same weirdly aggressive, overly exaggerated shouting, like "HELLLOOO I NEED HELP OVER HERRREEEE!!!"

I ignored her. I could have turned around and motioned that I'd be right with her or whatever, and for any other decent customer I would have, but not this woman. Like, anyone could see that I was clearly dealing with something and the alarm was loud enough to lend plausibility that I couldn't hear her. It was also only going to take like 10 seconds so I figured she could suffer the great injustice of having to wait. I was wrong. She came stomping over, furious, telling me that she needed help. I told her I'd be right with her once I put the ear splitting alarm emitting gun in the rack. She stomped back to the machine.

When I went over, she was PISSED. I can't even remember what the issue was this second time, but it was another simple fix. She demanded my name despite the fact that we wear very prominent name tags. I kept my tone light, acting like I was unaware of how angry she was. I think this made her angrier, lol. I told her my first name and she was like "[FIRST NAME] WHAT?" I wasn't about to give this woman my last name so I told her I was the only person with my name working at the store which seemed good enough for her, because then she moved on to being like "I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOUR MANAGER. WHO'S YOUR MANAGER?" I gestured out over the front end and told her anyone wearing a certain color uniform shirt, which is half true. Our supervisors and the front end manager all wear the same color shirt but the managers above that don't wear uniforms, they wear business casual. But I wasn't going to be like "Oh, today it's Rick~ Let me go fetch him for you~" Like, if this blight of a woman wanted to go complain about me she could do the legwork herself. I wasn't about to do her any favors, lol.

She paid and then stomped off to the customer service desk, where she encountered Diana. Now, none of the supervisors really take customer complaints seriously but Diana gives ZERO FUCKS. She has a policy that customer complaints stay with her. Unless the customer asks to speak to a manager above her and complains to them personally, no one higher up than her ever hears the complaint. She knows customers are full of shit 99% of the time. So she probably nodded and was like "Oh no! She made you wait 10 seconds? I'll have a word with her right away!" without actually caring.

I don't think the woman was totally convinced because on her way out she stopped by self scan to scold me herself. I can't even accurately describe her tone, but it had me half laughing at how outraged she was. She was like "[FIRST NAME]! THE CUSTOMER. COMES. FIRST." I told her there was an alarm going off that I couldn't just ignore. I think she was kind of caught off guard that I defended myself because she had the lamest response ever, which was something like "I! DON'T! CARE! NO ONE COULD HEAR IT BUT YOU!!!" Which was obviously untrue, lol. Like, no one misses that alarm unless they're hard of hearing or deaf. I don't think she was either, she just didn't know how to respond to logic.

Clearly she's incapable of realizing that she's not the only customer in a store and that most customers don't appreciate loud obnoxious alarms when they're trying to shop and speak to their cashier. I was putting the well being of the ENTIRE store first, requiring her to wait what amounted to SECONDS. I don't think I've ever encountered a more impatient and entitled customer before. Reading back on this story I don't think I'm really accurately capturing just how angry she was. She was livid. If she had the ability to fire me, I'm sure she would have. The way she was behaving was absurd.

Also kind of funny to note is that the first time I went over to help her there was a man with her who I assume is her husband. He disappeared as soon as she started freaking out, probably too embarrassed to stick around. And I realize the absurdity of all of this makes it sound like a fake story. You might already have thought to yourself "Okay, OP totally changed minutes to seconds to make them sound more sympathetic. They were probably talking to their coworker for a long time and ignoring the customer that needed help or they're leaving out some other really important detail" but no, it was literally seconds and I'm not leaving anything out. This woman became enraged because she had to wait literal SECONDS for my help, which she wouldn't have even needed in the first place if not for her own incompetency and incapability to follow simple directions.

I was actually really angry about this for like 24 hours after it happened. She was so abusive and outrageous. The way she used knowing my name as part of her power trip kind of grosses me out. Like ngl, I've done some stupid ACTUAL complaint worthy shit while working and have legitimately screwed up before without anyone complaining about me. So the one time someone DOES complain about me, it's over something totally petty? It's ridiculous. But I'm starting to find the humor in it.

This woman needs to get a grip and/or therapy for her anger issues. I bet she does this type of shit everywhere she goes with her husband noping out immediately and disappearing to the car.